


as the timorous dove beholds

by archivisms



Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo [1]
Category: Justice League of America (Comics)
Genre: Accidental Self-Harm, Aftermath of Torture, Bad Things Happen Bingo, Gen, Implied/Referenced Torture, References to Shakespeare, dear lord i am sorry, it's 1:15 am and idk how to tag this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-18
Updated: 2019-07-18
Packaged: 2020-06-30 14:10:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19854820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/archivisms/pseuds/archivisms
Summary: This fills the Clawing at own Throat prompt for my Bad Things Happen Bingo card.





	as the timorous dove beholds

**Author's Note:**

> this was requested by @agenderanarky on tumblr!

“L– LLadiz, please,” murmured Zauriel, as Eclipso tilted his head with the point of his dark blade. Zauriel could feel the ever-so-sharp point press into their flesh, almost gently. Instinctively, they tried to pull in his wings close to his body, but the shadows holding them aloft held them tightly, almost painfully, in place. 

Eclipso said nothing, just dropped the sword to his side in one smooth controlled motion. Zauriel’s brows furrowed. What was he playing at? He had Zauriel at his mercy, what more could Eclipso want?

Zauriel would never admit it, but when Eclipso stepped towards them, a smile spreading on his face, teeth sharp, they flinched instinctually. In the host, Lladiz had been of a higher rank than them, a commander, not a soldier. He knew what made Zauriel tick, as the humans would say.

He lifted Zauriel’s helm from their head, letting their hair tumble free about their face. Eclipso placed the helmet on the ground next to where Zauriel hung suspended, then brushed the loose strands of Zauriel’s long hair gently behind their ears.

“I don’t think you’ll enjoy what I’m going to do to you very much,” Eclipso purred as he stared down at Zauriel. “But I certainly will.” He took Zauriel’s face in hand with one rough motion, pulling them up on their binds in such a way that made them gasp reflexively as the binds dug into their flesh much tighter than before. 

Before Zauriel could even blink, there was a hand twisting  _ in their throat. _

There was nothing they could do but scream.

-

The battle with Eclipso was over, the rubble of the Emerald City was still. It was, however, the Justice League’s task to clean, move rubble, and search for people. There were still heroes unaccounted for, and not all citizens has been so lucky as to come out on the other side alive, uninjured, and unpossessed. 

Right now, the League was sifting through what had been where the Starheart was kept. Where Eclipso had made his base.

Dick was searching around the base, clearing what he could clear and shifting what he could shift. Keeping an eye out for bodies. Survivors. Whoever he could find. 

It wasn’t pretty, the aftermath of such a big battle, especially not one where friends were made to fight friends. 

Suddenly, from his right, he heard a soft noise. It may have just been a rock clattering to the ground, or something shifting, but–

Dick had a feeling it was more than that.

Tentatively, he stepped towards the noise. 

“Hello?” Dick called out. 

There was another noise, louder now. The shifting of something large, a soft whimper. Someone was hurt, but at least they were alive.

Dick turned the corner, and gasped. Tucked into a nook in the rubble was Zauriel, wings pulled in tight about themselves, feathers missing, primaries twisted and broken. There were lacerations on their wrists and ankles, and in other places. They had been suspended by Eclipso’s shadows, when he last saw them, Dick remembered. Eclipso had been alone with them for most of the fight. Who knows what he had done. Dear god- there was so much blood. Dick couldn't tell where all of it was coming from.

“Zauriel.” He stepped towards the angel, hands outstretched in a gesture meant to calm. Zauriel scrambled backward, pressing themself up against the wall. “What- what happened to you?” He crouched down, reaching out towards the trembling angel. 

Again they flinched back from his touch, their wings tensing and flexing as they pressed further into the wall.

“It’s alright,” murmured Dick. “You can tell me.” 

Zauriel opened their mouth as if to speak, but all that came out was a low, keening moan, and blood, which streamed from the corners of their mouth.Their eyes widened, hands rising to their neck, their face with a choking sob. Clawed talons dug into their flesh as they tried to speak again, and only harsh, guttural noises and mournful moans came out.

Dick launched himself forward as Zauriel scrabbled at their neck, clawing and scratching as they shook. With every choking sob, more blood streamed down their chin and neck as if from a fountain. He pulled their hands away, and Zauriel screamed, loud and long, collapsing heavily into Dick’s arms with an unnatural weight. Their wailing broke once more into tears, which streamed down their face, leaving in their wake clean trails across Zauriel’s face.

From behind him, Dick heard Jade’s voice, but could not react, all his energy focused on the angel before him, blood still rushing from their neck and mouth, crimson and warm. 

“Help–” Dick started, as Jade rushed to his side. As he let go of Zauriel, Jade wrapped them in green light, holding them steady. 

With gritted teeth and ever-so-slightly trembling hands, Dick removed a roll of gauze from one of the many pouches on his belt. Zauriel flinched as he lifted the gauze to their neck, crying quietly as he wrapped their wounds as gently as the severity of the scratches permit him. 

Dick wrapped their wrists, lacerated by Eclipso’s binds. All the while, Zauriel clenched and unclenched their fists nervously, talons digging at the soft flesh of their palm. 

Once all their visible wounds were covered, Dick spoke.

“Jade,” he said, quietly and urgently. “Get them to Saint Walker. Now.” 

And then they were gone, and Dick was left standing there, suit wet with blood.

**Author's Note:**

> i probably shouldn't have watched titus andronicus before writing this,,


End file.
